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Glite Dictionary
musculus pectoralis minor

musculus pectoralis minor

8.2
A thin muscle under the larger chest muscle that pulls the shoulder blade down or lifts the ribs
  • noun
  • /ˈmʌskjələs ˌpɛktəˈreɪlɪs ˈmaɪnər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : músculo pectoral menor
  • Tightness in the musculus pectoralis minor can contribute to poor posture and shoulder pain.

Examples

  • The musculus pectoralis minor helps to stabilize the scapula during arm movements.

  • The surgeon carefully avoided damaging the musculus pectoralis minor during the procedure.

  • The musculus pectoralis minor helps in stabilizing the shoulder.

  • In anatomy, the musculus pectoralis minor is often discussed.

  • The musculus pectoralis minor assists in moving the scapula downwards during physical activities.

  • When performing push-ups, engaging the musculus pectoralis minor can enhance your overall strength.

  • A thorough understanding of the musculus pectoralis minor is essential for physical therapists.

Synonyms

pectoralis minor
vsmusculus pectoralis minor
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A thin chest muscle that pulls the shoulder blade down and helps lift ribs when you breathe deeply

gives a more general action of pulling the shoulder blade down and raising ribs
smaller pectoral muscle
vsmusculus pectoralis minor
  • Specialized
7.2

A thin muscle under the larger chest muscle that moves the shoulder blade down and forward

is the scientific Latin name for that same muscle

Surface Forms

musculus pectoralis minor singular
musculi pectorales minores plural

Morphology

musculus + pectoralis + minor

The phrase is fully compositional: 'musculus' (muscle) + 'pectoralis' (pertaining to the chest/pectoral region) + 'minor' (smaller/lesser) yield the meaning 'the smaller pectoral muscle.' Despite being a Latin anatomical name, the constituent meanings and common cognates make the overall sense directly derivable by a learner who knows the parts.

Etymology

Musculus pectoralis minor comes from Latin words: musculus meant 'little mouse', pectoralis meant 'chest', and minor meant 'smaller'. People thought muscles looked like tiny mice moving under the skin, so the name helps you remember it is the small chest muscle beneath the larger chest muscle.